I don't have any doubts about Harbaugh being a better coach that Richrod but I really hope people don't get their hopes up on results soon if we make a change, fans will have to realize that the move will set us back at least another 2-3 years before we are a team ready to compete for the big time, the current roster will have a ton of players that would have no real place in a Harbaugh offense and we all know the state of the defense isn't good...though I think they can be a lot better than they were under Rich and co.

I am betting that, nationally, high school seniors are far more familiar with a traditional Michigan offense and defense. And, Nationally, Harbaugh is more of a household name. I bet we get higher quality recruits quickly.

Locally, The High school seniors being recruited this year were in Middle School when the Wolverines won the national title. I am sure they remember UofM being a dominant program.

December 25th, 2010, 8:29 pm

Blueskies

QB Coach - Brian Callahan

Joined: September 13th, 2007, 12:43 pmPosts: 3101

Re: RR Gone?

Quote:

Locally, The High school seniors being recruited this year were in Middle School when the Wolverines won the national title. I am sure they remember UofM being a dominant program.

Uh...no?

UM won the title in 97', 13 seasons ago. The HS seniors being recruited now are 17/18 years old. They were barely in kindergarten when UM won the title. Also, I'm not sure what you meant by "locally" but the state of MI isn't known for producing a lot of football talent anyway.

Let's be objective here: Harbaugh doesn't really have a better resume than RR did coming in. Asserting that he will be a better coach is really just maize and blue bias more so than anything else. Harbaugh and RR both took relatively weak football schools to the BCS. Both saw most of their success with superstar QBs. The only claim that Harbaugh can really make over RR is that he saw success in a better conference, and its a valid point.

But Harbaugh could bomb as bad RR, maybe even worse. Of course he'll be given 10 years to prove himself just because of his name, and in 10 years time almost anyone could find success (unless you're Matt Millen).

Locally, The High school seniors being recruited this year were in Middle School when the Wolverines won the national title. I am sure they remember UofM being a dominant program.

Uh...no?

UM won the title in 97', 13 seasons ago. The HS seniors being recruited now are 17/18 years old. They were barely in kindergarten when UM won the title. Also, I'm not sure what you meant by "locally" but the state of MI isn't known for producing a lot of football talent anyway.

Let's be objective here: Harbaugh doesn't really have a better resume than RR did coming in. Asserting that he will be a better coach is really just maize and blue bias more so than anything else. Harbaugh and RR both took relatively weak football schools to the BCS. Both saw most of their success with superstar QBs. The only claim that Harbaugh can really make over RR is that he saw success in a better conference, and its a valid point.

But Harbaugh could bomb as bad RR, maybe even worse. Of course he'll be given 10 years to prove himself just because of his name, and in 10 years time almost anyone could find success (unless you're Moron of the Millennium).

Yeah. I don't know what I was thinking with that statement. LOL. I blame the mad cow disease. LOL.

Has Rich Rod been fired yet? If not, why? Is Brandon waiting for Stanford to play their game?

January 1st, 2011, 10:21 pm

The Legend

Team President - Rod Wood

Joined: February 11th, 2005, 3:01 pmPosts: 4886Location: WSU

Re: RR Gone?

Wow. This thread had some good laughs. Just to recap bc Im laughing so hard.

First of all its Gary Moeller (not Moehler) and he is turning 70 this month and hasnt coached in 8 years. Carr's championship team was 3 seasons after Moeller was fired. That was 1997 and it would take a pretty dumb middle schooler to only now be a HS senior.

Miles Davis is dead. Les Miles might be a good candidate except that he may be happy at LSU and it didnt work out with him in 2007 when Rich Rod was fired although its hard to assign blame on that one. Allegedly UM wanted him to take the job before LSU played for the national championship and Miles reused.

Ron English is something like 2-20 at Eastern Michigan so he has a long way to go before he gets considered for anything other than a firing.

Cam Cameron okay might be a nice darkhorse candidate but biffed it at Indiana years ago then with the Dolphins, he d probably have to be a reliable head coach at some smaller school before he got considered as a head man at a big school.

Grand Valley State's main man was Brian Kelly who was referred to as the CMU coach his success was first at GVSU then CMU then Cincy and now looks like he has Notre Dame pointed in the right direction. None of his replacements at GVSU have climbed the coaching tree the way he did such that they d be ready at this point to coach UM.

January 2nd, 2011, 2:34 am

The Legend

Team President - Rod Wood

Joined: February 11th, 2005, 3:01 pmPosts: 4886Location: WSU

Re: RR Gone?

Obviously Harbaugh is a good candidate. Has been committed to coaching for years - did some college recruiting/assisting even when he was a player in the NFL and his brother and father are/were coaches. Resurrected Stanford and did a good job at University of San Diego. Played at Michigan. Would run a known successful formula for Big Ten football, pro offense, power running game with big lineman, 43 defense, etc. But is he someone who would want to jet to the pros? Could he help spark an immediate turnaround or would he struggle until he got his own recruits in place. Has been immature in media, seems to be about himself and bashed UM academics two years ago.

Brady Hoke - former UM assistant and was there under Carr when they won the championship. Built winners at Ball State and San Diego St. Is a defensive coach which may be what we need, could maybe build a quicker turnaround bc that s his area of focus. Has recruited in the area in the past and may fit "Michigan Man" mantra even more than Harbaugh being that he was in Ann Arbor more recently, for a longer period of time, when they won a championship and actually coached there. More likely to be a UM lifer provided he is successful. Still his overall record is under 500, it took a while to build Ball St, hasnt been head coach on as big a stage as Harbaugh. Not the hot name right now which might be more important to win recruiting battles.

Jon Gruden - probably the best football mind of the group w Super Bowl win, multiple teams deep into playoffs. Understands tradition at Michigan and while he was head coach at Tampa had clause in contract allowing him to void deal if he could become HC at UM. But would he go back to the pros eventually? How would he be as a recruiter and how would college kids respond to his style.

Personally I think Hoke is the best candidate but would be happy with any of Harbaugh, Hoke, Gruden or Miles. Have to think that Brandon is still considering keeping Richrod based on which coach he may potentially be able to attract. Is he going to have to outbid Stanford or NFL teams for Harbaugh and Gruden? What will he have to do to pry away Miles from a strong program? Its no guarantee that he can get any of those 3 if he cans Rich Rod. Hoke I think would almost certainly come to UM but maybe Brandon doesnt think of him highly. So would it be worth firing Richrod with 3 yrs at 2.5 M/yr owed when Richrod's team is improving and has personnel that maybe only Richrod can use. Might it be easier to force Richrod into bringing in a DC? Basically Richrod's not going anywhere unless Brandon knows that he s getting a big name successor and Im guessing his list does not include Hoke. He s not going to fire Richrod get spurned by Harbaugh, Miles, Gruden and then have to settle for an unknown that he d prefer Richrods continuity over.

January 2nd, 2011, 3:17 am

Blueskies

QB Coach - Brian Callahan

Joined: September 13th, 2007, 12:43 pmPosts: 3101

Re: RR Gone?

As I said, I fully expect Harbaugh to be our HC within the week.

However, if for some reason Hoke is hired--I'm dead serious here--I will renounce my Michigan fandom. I've been a UM fan since I was a little boy, and even more now after becoming a student and an alumni. Hoke is a joke. He's 47-50. He's done nothing at SDSU. He has one good season on his resume. One. The year he went 12-1 with Ball State, and I think they got blown out in their bowl anyway. The only reason people are even throwing his name out there is because he has Michigan ties. If he didn't he would never be considered.

Rich Rod is the insurance option if for some reason the Harbaugh deal can't be done. That's why he hasn't been fired yet, and as soon as he is fired, Harbaugh will be announced as the replacement almost immediately following. You don't start a coaching search in January.

_________________"When you eat crow, if you put barbecue on it, it's not so bad."-Brady Hoke

January 2nd, 2011, 9:30 am

The Legend

Team President - Rod Wood

Joined: February 11th, 2005, 3:01 pmPosts: 4886Location: WSU

Re: RR Gone?

Quote:

However, if for some reason Hoke is hired--I'm dead serious here--I will renounce my Michigan fandom. I've been a UM fan since I was a little boy, and even more now after becoming a student and an alumni. Hoke is a joke. He's 47-50. He's done nothing at SDSU. He has one good season on his resume. One. The year he went 12-1 with Ball State, and I think they got blown out in their bowl anyway. The only reason people are even throwing his name out there is because he has Michigan ties. If he didn't he would never be considered.

You may have inside info on the Harbaugh hiring but the NFL is also calling him. He could potentially go to San Francisco and not even really have to move. While Harbaugh has done a good job at Stanford he badmouthed all of UM athletics. That was a big sign of immaturity. Further he hasnt been at UM since the mid 1980s. I think he s a good hire but as soon as this bowl game ends he s going to see how many options he has and with RichRod owed 7.5 mill UM may not be able to outbid other suitors if thats what it comes down to. Harbaugh seems somewhat arrogant to me which isnt necessarily bad but taking a big money offer might be his style.

Hoke just took a SDSU team that was 2-10 before he was hired to a 9 win season and its first bowl game in 12 years. You have to overlook the overall record bc he s taken over terrible teams Ball St had some epic losing streaks before he got there. If Hoke gets a look he ll be an option that would take less money and is more likely to stay and arguably understands Michigan values more than Harbaugh does w 8 yrs coaching at UM under Carr.

Im not saying Hoke is a better coach than Harbaugh just throwing caution into the wind here. Harbaugh is the hot name but I think him being expensive, outspoken, attention craving, and potentially NFL bound as flaws that nobody wants to mention. Nobody is perfect.

This article is funny. Harbaugh may not come here, but if he doesn't, it won't be to stay at Stanford. Stanford will never be a consistent football powerhouse. Their academic standards are too high and their facilities and funding can never be first rate. If Harbaugh was going to stay, he would've signed a contract extension by now (they already tried to offer him one). He's either coming to Ann Arbor, or going to the NFL.

Quote:

Hoke just took a SDSU team that was 2-10 before he was hired to a 9 win season and its first bowl game in 12 years. You have to overlook the overall record bc he s taken over terrible teams Ball St had some epic losing streaks before he got there. If Hoke gets a look he ll be an option that would take less money and is more likely to stay and arguably understands Michigan values more than Harbaugh does w 8 yrs coaching at UM under Carr.

Im not saying Hoke is a better coach than Harbaugh just throwing caution into the wind here. Harbaugh is the hot name but I think him being expensive, outspoken, attention craving, and potentially NFL bound as flaws that nobody wants to mention. Nobody is perfect.

Wait, so you're telling me he got two more wins than Rich Rod playing in a significantly worse conference and a longer schedule? Holy poop, get this man to Ann Arbor right now!

Yes, every cannidate has flaws, but Brady Hoke is in no way qualified to coach here. I understand the Michigan traditions and would come cheap, does that make me qualified for the job?

And you can't just throwout his losing record. The man had 4 consective under .500 seasons at Ball State, before finally have one good season (also, please note that the following season Ball State went 2-10 perhaps indicating that the outcome of the 2008 season was entirely luck).

He has a 12-1 season with Ball State and a 9-4 season with SDSU. His other 6 seasons of coaching have been terrible. If you choose to fire Rich Rod now, then this becomes a critical hire. If you screwup this hire, you risk knocking the program forever out of elite program status and becoming a has-been joke like Notre Dame. I, and I think all other rational football fans, would prefer to keep Rich Rod over bringing in Brady Hoke.